Question 1: What is the most common oral cancer?
- A. Transition cell ca
- B. Mucoepidermoid
- C. Adenocarcinoma
- D. Squamous cell ca (Correct Answer)
Explanation: ***Squamous cell ca***
- **Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC)** accounts for over **90% of all oral cancers**, making it the most prevalent type.
- It arises from the **stratified squamous epithelium** lining the oral cavity.
*Transition cell ca*
- This term is more commonly associated with tumors of the **urinary tract**, such as transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder.
- **Transitional cell carcinomas** are not typically found in the oral cavity.
*Mucoepidermoid*
- **Mucoepidermoid carcinoma** is the most common primary malignant tumor of **salivary glands**, not the oral cavity lining.
- While salivary glands are in the oral region, this type of cancer originates specifically from these glands.
*Adenocarcinoma*
- **Adenocarcinoma** originates from **glandular tissue** and represents a small percentage of oral cancers.
- It is much **less common** than squamous cell carcinoma in the oral cavity.
Question 2: A patient who recently got a denture fitted is found to have oral thrush that bleeds on scraping. What is the causative agent for this condition?
- A. Diphtheria
- B. Staph Aureus
- C. Candida (Correct Answer)
- D. Strep Mutans
Explanation: ***Candida***
- **Oral thrush** (candidiasis) is a common opportunistic fungal infection, especially in individuals with **dentures**, which create a warm, moist environment conducive to candidal growth.
- The characteristic presentation includes **white patches** on the oral mucosa that, when scraped, reveal an **erythematous** (red) or **bleeding** surface.
*Diphtheria*
- Diphtheria causes a **pseudomembrane** in the throat that is tough, grayish, and hard to remove, but it's not typically associated with denture use or easy bleeding on scraping.
- It is caused by the bacterium *Corynebacterium diphtheriae* and is accompanied by **severe systemic toxicity**, unlike the localized oral thrush.
*Staph Aureus*
- *Staphylococcus aureus* can cause various infections, but it is not typically associated with the characteristic **white, easily scrapable lesions** of oral thrush.
- Oral *Staph aureus* infections might present as **impetigo** periorally or **abscesses**, neither of which fits the clinical description.
*Strep Mutans*
- *Streptococcus mutans* is primarily known for its role in **dental caries** (cavities) due to acid production from sugar fermentation.
- It is not the causative agent for **oral thrush** or the described white, bleeding lesions on scraping.